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Salinas mayor, police chief speak out on homicide spree

Police Chief Kelly McMillin said Salinas is an overall safe place for anyone who does not join a gang.

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Updated: 7:31 PM PDT Aug 1, 2013

Salinas mayor, police chief speak out on homicide spree

Police Chief Kelly McMillin said Salinas is an overall safe place for anyone who does not join a gang.

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Updated: 7:31 PM PDT Aug 1, 2013

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WEBVTT SALINAS CITY LEADERSTO ENCOURAGE THECOMMUNITY ANDPARENTS TO STEP IN ANDHELP FILL IN THE GAPSWHEN IT COMES TOCURBING GANGVIOLENCE.THEY SAY IT'S A BIGPART OF THE EQUATIONIN HELPING TO REDUCINGTHE VIOLENCE .. ANDTHE FEAR.TODAY'S PRESSCONFERENCE COMES ASSALINAS POLICERESPONDED TO TWOSEPARATE SHOOTINGSWITHIN HOURS OF ONEANOTHER LAST NIGHT,BOTH ON THE CITY'SEAST SIDE.WE HAVE LIVE TEAMCOVERAGE.WE START WITH MAYCHOW LIVE IN SALINAS.DAN...ERIN..THESTATISTICS ARE GRIMAND UNFORTUNATELY...NOTHING SALINAS POLICEOR RESIDENTS HAVEN'TEXPERIENCED BEFOREAND NOW, THERE'S ARENEWED EFFORT FORFAMILIES AND THECOMMUNITY TO TAKEBACK THEIR CITY.TONY 11:02-11:09 "what is ourgoal? A better Salinas, Howwe'regoing to do it? By you beingpartof the action, stop being aspectator, get in the ring."IT'S A MESSAGETHAT'S BEEN DELIVEREDNUMEROUS TIMES BEFORE...AND NOW, COMMUNITYLEADERS AND POLICE ARESAYING IT ONCE AGAINAFTER SEVEN SHOOTINGSIN SEVEN DAYS.KELLY 11:28-11:38: "that isresponsibility of salinas policedepartment, removing mostdangerous people from society,but everyone here has publicsafety responsibility."THE RECENT SPIKE INVIOLENCE IS NOT ONLY INTHE HEADLINES, BUTALSO ON THE MINDS OFMANY IN SALINAS...AS MADE APPARENT ATCITY HALL THURSDAYMORNING, WHERE IT WASSTANDING ROOM ONLYFOR A COMMUNITYMEETING.TONY 1:32-1:47: "you know, youkeep hearing us say we don'thave money, but we haveresources, and that's thefamily, ifmom and dad are vigilant forchildren who live at home, theydo a lot of good for thiscommunity."AND THAT SENTIMENTECHOED BY EDUCATORS,CHURCH LEADERS ANDMAYOR JOE GUNTER,WHO SAYS RESIDENTSHAVE THE POWER TOTAKE CHARGE.JOE 13:33-13:42: "i'm notsuggesting anyone armthemselves, that's why we havepolice, but i think people needtostart taking back own city andnotbe ashamed of where they'refrom."TONY/TAPE 2 13:16-13:23: "let'snot view salinas as a bad placetolive, let's view it as what wecando to make it because we livehere, this is our home."CHIEF KELLYMCMILLIN SAYS SALINAS ISSAFE...AND THE PEOPLEWHO ARE AT RISK, ARETHOSE CLOSEST TOGANGS.BUT THE ISSUE OFOFFICER SAFETY IN THEFOREFRONT, AS THOSE INTHE FORCE HAVE BEENTARGETS IN RECENTSHOOTINGS...THE MOSTRECENT ON WEDNESDAYNIGHT, WHEN OFFICERSWERE FIRED AT WHILERESPONDING TO ABURGLARY ON KINGS ANDALISAL STREETS.TONY 7:02-7:09: "we should notaccept that behavior, there isnoreason why our police officersshould be shot at."AS TO WHETHER ORNOT THE RECENTSHOOTINGS ARE LINKED...CHIEF MCMILLIN SAYSINVESTIGATORS ARELOOKING AT ANYCONNECTIONS -- IF ANY-- AND FOLLOWNG UP...HE SAYS SOME AREPROBABLY RELATED,SOME ISOLATED.HE SAYS THEDEPARTMENT WILLCONTINUE TO WORKWITH C-H-P ANDMONTEREY COUNTYSHERIFF'S ON DEPLOYINGRESOURCES AND HOWBEST TO PATROL THESTREETS OF SALINAS.DAN...ERIN?###AS YOU HEARD ATTODAY'S NEWSCONFERENCE THE CITYMAY BE SHORT ONMANPOWER TO FIGHTCRIME.. BUT IT'S NOTSHORT ON RESOURCESAVAILABLE TO PARENTSAND TEENS..BUT HOW ACCESSIBLEARE THEY? WITHTHAT PART OF THESTORY WE GO TOACTION NEWS REPORTERFELIX CORTEZ LIVE INSALINAS.###I'M LIVE OUTSIDE "SUNSTREET CENTER" ONE OFTHE MANY PROGRAMSOFFERING SERVICES TOFAMILIES AND TEENS..AND THE BEST THINGABOUT IT.. HELP IS JUSTA PHONE CALL AWAY..knowledge is power..just ask jorge quiroz,who first heard about sunstreet centers when hewas in the 8th grade..11:20 if they wouldn't have goneto my middle school I don't knowwhere I would be right now Iwouldn't be working here so thatwhy I'm saying it's better whenwe go to talk to them theteenagers and parents that waythey are aware of resources :36now quiroz is an aid withsun street center .. adrug and alcoholprevention program anda resource center forgang intervention..when teens and parentsdon't come looking forhelp.. sun street goeslooking for them.Sylvia15:10 that's why we go to theschools :11 that's why we doevents do a youth summit forteens to get more involved togetto know more :18 we knowknowledge is power and we wantthem to be powerful so that morethey know the more powerful canbe :2227:58 I'm going to speak onbehalf of those mothers that areworking :01 and those parentsthat are working in the fields:04at thursday's newsconference regarding theviolence in salinas..Councilwoman gloria dela rosa said there are alot of good programs outthere to steer kids awayfrom gangs and drugs..But delarosa said everyparent may not haveaccess to them becauseof work..On thursday Delarosapromised to bring backher neighborhood blockparties.. Somethingpositive in light of all thenegative..gloria28:33 and I just want to leteveryone know that we are goingto have a big block party again:41 we're going to bring thecommunity out again and bringthose resources to the communitybecause a lot of families do notknow the resources that we allhave :5012:20 I just think the teensneedto be aware of what to do in thecommunity because there are alot of things to do in thecommunity a lot of positivethingsto do in community :30EVERYBODY I TALKEDWITH SAID THERE'S NOEXCUSE FOR NOTGETTING HELP FROMTHESE PROGRAMS..LANGUAGE SHOULDNOT BE A BARRIERMOST IF NOT ALLPROGRAMS HAVEBILINGUAL SPEAKERS..##IF YOU NEED AREFERRAL OR HELPFINDING RESOURCES CALLTHE UNITED WAY's 2-1-1HELP LINE.THEY HAVE ACOMPLETE LIST OFINTERVENTION ANDPREVENTION PROGRAMSAVAILABLE..THEY OPERATE 24-7AND HAVE SPANISHOPERATORS..###CONTINUING

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Salinas mayor, police chief speak out on homicide spree

Police Chief Kelly McMillin said Salinas is an overall safe place for anyone who does not join a gang.